True Worth
by JKWilliams
Summary: "It's a wonderful life" Digimon Style - MERRY CHRISTMAS!
1. The Past

Okay this is to go along with the tradition of Christmas and all, and I hope that you guys like this. It's definitely a Sorato/Yamora fic. Please read and review, and for those of you that are waiting for some of my other fics to be completed, do not worry. I have a little time now so I am going to work on them as soon as I can. Here goes ....   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, or the story of "It's a Wonderful Life". This disclaimer applies to my whole story.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
True Worth   
  
  
  
  
  
  
The supreme angel of heaven watched in silence as the motions of the day took place. He shook his head and sighed as he watched the man in the dark run towards what he thought to be the easy ending to the predicament that he faced.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Shaking his head he sighed and thought about the quote that that one writer had written so long ago, "What fools these mortals be." That young writer could not have gotten anything more right than that. Humans had it all wrong sometimes. They thought that what they were doing was going to save everyone, but instead it would be even worse for those involved.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I guess that we shall have to send someone down there." He ordered for one of the in-training guardians to be brought before him. This angel wanted to receive his wings desperately, and this would be his way to do it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The angel was brought before him and nervously flitted about the room. "Am I to receive my wings now?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The supreme angel smiled, "You must first prove yourself to us. There is someone in need of your help down below. What is your name?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Isaac, sir."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"A good name, your parents choose well when you were born."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes sir, I like to think so."  
  
  
  
  
  
"How long have you been an Angel in training?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"About two hundred years."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I think it's about time that you earned those wings, how about you?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes sir, I think so."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well then son ... Let me tell you about the man that your going to help so that in turn he can help you get your wings."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The scene starts to clear and we see a young boy about the age of six. He is holding an older man's hand, who we assume to be his father. The boy is crying.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"That is Yamato 'Matt' Ishida, the person that you are going to help out. Watch closely as you see what happens at this point of his life."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
"Mommy, I don't want to leave Daddy. Why is Matt going away too?" The little blonde boy, with the huge blue eyes stared up at his mother and it nearly broke her heart. 'I can't do this to him ... To Matt.' But she had to. She looked at her husband and he merely nodded.   
  
  
  
  
  
"This has to be done. It's the only way."   
  
  
  
  
  
The father didn't want to do this, but he and his wife were not in love anymore. It was the only way.   
  
  
  
  
  
It was Yamato, his oldest son, that finally calmed the crying four year old down. He had taken his little brother by the shoulders and looked at him. "TK, you have to calm down. We will see each other again. We are brothers after all."  
  
  
  
  
  
Yamato handed TK his baseball glove and smiled at him. "Keep this, and it will always remind you of me. Always keep Hope TK, and everything will be okay."  
  
  
  
  
  
TK smiled at Yamato and jumped up and hugged him. "Okay Yamato, I'll always keep hope. I know that everything will come out okay in the end."  
  
  
  
  
  
With that, the two brothers were separated. Yamato to go with his father, to live. TK to go with his mother. And little Tk always held onto that hope that he and his brother would get to see each other again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
************************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
"That was nice of Matt to do that for his little brother. He gave him hope for the future."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, Isaac, and that hope would prove important in the future. More important than they could ever know."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How so?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, later on in their lives, Matt and his brother got sucked into a place called the Digiworld with some other children. The separation from his family had caused Matt to not be as open as other children. Each of the children had something called a digimon partner that they helped digivolve. They also each had a crest that they shared. Matt's crest was the crest of Friendship, one he thought he didn't deserve. Tk ended up getting the crest of hope. So you see, Matt already had an influence on others at an early stage of his life. Now let me show you some things that he struggled with there."  
  
  
  
  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt and a dog-like thing are resting on the shore beside the lake.   
  
  
  
  
"You ever felt like a fifth wheel, Gabumon? That's what I feel like. All this time, I thought I had like, a purpose, you know? To look out for my little brother." Matt is saying to the dog-like creature. "I thought TK wouldn't be able to survive without me watching over him. But suddenly, it's like he's growing up. He doesn't need me anymore. And it's not just him. It's everybody, man. I mean, when I think of Tai and Mimi and Sora and the others, this place has changed them for the better. They're stronger now. It's almost like they've digivolved or something. "  
  
  
The one called Gabumon answered, "Mmm hmmm."   
  
  
  
"But, you see, the problem is, I haven't. I'm still stuck in the same place. I haven't changed a bit."  
  
  
  
"You may not see it, Matt, but you've changed a lot."   
  
  
  
  
"Oh, please, Gabumon. Give me a break. I'm the same jerk I always was."  
  
  
  
"Hey, come on."   
  
  
  
  
"It'll never happen. Not this way. I finally got it figured out. If I'm ever gonna change, I have to do it on my own. On my own. The others can't help me."   
  
  
  
***********************************  
  
  
  
  
"A digimon named Cherrymon talked Matt into believing something completely different. Something that affected his friendship with the others, and something that changed Matt forever."  
  
  
  
  
  
***********************************  
  
  
  
  
A giant tree is standing there talking to Matt, "Young man, didn't anyone ever tell you you should listen to your elders? Or was it redwoods you should listen to? I can never quite get those two straight. But anyway, I digress. So, you're still stuck in the same place. Still the same old jerk you always were."  
  
  
  
Matt gasps.   
  
  
  
"Surprised, huh? Ah, I know all about it. Must be tough being in such a rut. "  
Matt frowns and says, "You've been spying on me, huh?"   
  
  
  
  
The tree laughs. "Listen to me kid. I don't need to spy because there's nothing that happens in this forest that I don't know about."   
  
  
  
  
"Huh. Alright then, if you're so smart. What am I supposed to do? Tell me that."   
  
  
  
  
"Ahh, simple as that, eh? Kids, you want all the answers just handed to you on a mahogany platter. But you never wanna do the hard work of looking deep within yourself where all the answers truly lie."   
  
  
  
  
Gabumon pulls at Matt, "Let's go. Don't you listen to that talking firewood, Matt. Come on!"   
  
  
  
  
"That's right, go on. But you'll never learn how to change. You'll always be what you are, right now. "  
  
  
  
  
"I wanna change."   
  
  
  
"Yes, of course, but are you really ready? After all, change isn't always a pleasant thing. You might find out a few things that you wish you hadn't."   
  
  
  
  
"I'm ready. More than ready. Enough talking big guy! If you've got some answers, let's see 'em!"   
  
  
  
  
"Alright, kid, I'll help you out. First off, you're gonna have to defeat your rival."   
  
  
  
  
Matt looked at the tree questioningly, "My rival?"  
  
  
  
  
"There, in that lake, you will see the face of the one who is preventing you from becoming as strong as you could be."   
  
  
  
  
Matt walks to the edge of the water that the tree had pointed to.   
  
  
  
  
Gabumon tried to stop Matt, "Where are you going?"  
  
  
  
  
" I know it sounds pretty bogus, but might as well look."  
  
  
  
  
"Listen, Matt. You don't really believe him, do you?" Gabumon runs up to Matt at the edge of the lake. He gasps when the image of Tai appears on the surface.   
  
  
  
Matt turns back to the tree, "Tai? Come on! What kind of trick is this?"   
  
  
  
  
" Behold, the face of your rival."   
  
  
  
  
"So you're saying, I have to fight Tai, is that it?" Matt turns to the talking tree and laughs. "Nice try, foliage face, you had me going there. But you'll have to do better than that."   
  
  
  
Cherrymon laughs as well.   
  
  
  
  
"I had nothing to do with it. The Lake of Truth reflects only what is in a person's heart, hence the name."   
  
  
  
  
"You've gotta be kidding."   
  
  
  
  
"Sorry kid, it's never wrong."   
  
  
  
"That right? Well, I've got news for you. It's off this time, way off."   
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, you can argue with me all you want, but you're really only arguing with yourself. It's about time you faced the truth. The one you call Tai is your leader. Everything he says, you do. Everywhere he goes, you follow. And yet, in your heart you resent it because you know you're just as qualified to be the boss as he is."   
  
  
  
  
  
Matt remembers times he argued and fought with Tai.   
  
  
  
  
"Do not be ashamed of your resentment. Do not hide it, embrace it. For in your anger lies your strength. Only when you recognize that will you at last be free to grow, to change. So face your rival! And prove you are his equal, or better, by defeating him!"  
  
  
  
  
Gabumon stands in front of Matt and says, "Don't listen! He's just trying to cause trouble! He's playing games with your mind. It's all part of some kind of trap. Tai is your friend, Matt!"   
  
  
  
  
"Huh? He's my friend, yeah! He may not always act like it, but.... He's right! Tai is my friend. You don't fight your friends!"   
  
  
  
  
  
"Friend? Ha! Now that's a good one. You don't even believe that such a thing really exists! Not in your heart of hearts, anyway. Ha ha ha! Hit the nail on the head, didn't I?"   
  
  
  
  
Gabumon says, "What's he mean?"   
  
  
  
  
Matt is silent.   
  
  
  
  
Cherrymon smiles, "Friendship, loyalty, comrades. Fine sounding words. But that's all they are. Words, delusions. And you're wise enough to see that now. You know that ultimately, the only person you can depend on is yourself. Isn't that right, Matt?"   
  
  
  
  
Matt struggles with it all, "What a choice. What do I do? Oh, what do I do?" Matt drops to his knees beside a concerned Gabumon. He holds his crest in his hand, struggling not to cry. "Oh, that's a laugh. Wouldn't you know that my crest had to be the crest of friendship."   
  
  
  
  
Gabumon quietly said, "Matt, there's one thing he's right about. Whatever you're going to do, do it!"   
  
  
  
  
Matt looks up at his digimon. "But do what?"   
  
  
  
  
  
"You've got to hear what your own conscious is telling you, and not listen to anybody else. Not Tai, or Cherrymon or me. You've got to have faith in yourself, Matt."   
  
  
  
  
"What if I make the wrong decision?"   
  
  
  
  
  
"I know that whatever it is, it'll be the right one. Because I have faith in you! And whichever path you take, I'll be there with you."   
  
  
  
  
"You mean that?"   
  
  
  
  
Gabumon nods and smiles. "You do have a friend. Never forget that! I'll always be there, Matt, no matter what."   
  
  
  
  
"Gabumon...." tears form in Matt's eyes, and his crest glows brightly. A powerful white light shines down on Gabumon.   
  
  
  
  
"Gabumon warp digivolve to... MetalGarurumon!" MetalGarurumon gallops away through the forest, Matt on his back.   
  
  
  
  
  
Back at the lake, Cherrymon laughs heartily. "Yeah, I think that went rather well. Still, I'm surprised by the strength of the bond between them. It took every trick I had to undermine it. If Puppetmon isn't careful, this game could still be lost."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
***************************************  
  
  
  
  
"Wow, that guy is evil. What did Matt do? Did he go after his friend, or did he realize what that guy was saying was wrong?"  
  
  
  
  
"I'll show you."  
  
  
  
  
******************************************  
  
  
  
"Matt!" A tall, blue headed boy with glasses yells.  
  
  
  
  
A girl with a blue helmet looks up with hope in her eyes, as well as something else, "Matt, you're back!"   
  
  
  
  
  
A boy about the same height as Matt with brown hair says, "Better late than never! Where ya been, buddy?" The boy runs up to Matt.  
  
  
  
  
  
MetalGarurumon's eyes glow ice blue, and he shoots a beam of energy at a yellow dinosaurs feet. The yellow thing yells and jumps back. The boy with brown hair, who is Tai, gasps and turns back to Matt.   
  
  
  
  
  
"What's he doing?!"   
  
  
  
  
  
The yellow thing yells, "Hey, what is this?"   
MetalGarurumon says, "What do you think? It's a challenge. You might want to digivolve, and fast!"   
  
  
  
  
"What have you been eating out there in the forest? You want to fight me?"   
  
  
  
  
In reply, MetalGarurumon shoots a pair of missiles at Agumon, barely missing him.   
  
  
  
  
The girl in the blue helmet runs up to Matt, "This is insane! Matt, what's going on? Is this some kind of joke?"   
  
  
  
  
"Matt, I don't know what he's doing, but call him off, now!" Tai tells his friend.   
  
  
  
"No, Tai. I won't."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
"The two boys did fight for awhile, but then some things changed and Matt decided to leave them all."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why cant we see that?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Because there just isnt enough time."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So he just left them all there?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, for a time he did."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Did he return to help them? Where were they? And who was that girl? Was she with that other guy?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Matt realized his mistake and went back. Let me take you to another part of that world and his life."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**********************************************************  
  
  
  
  
We see Tk with his digimon and he smiles, "Hey, that sounds like Matt!"   
  
  
  
  
"It sure does!" Matt appears and kneels down and the brothers hug.   
  
  
  
  
"Oh, Matt, where have you been? I was so worried about you!"  
  
  
  
  
"Sorry, TK I needed time to get my head straight, but I won't leave you again. I promise you."   
  
  
  
  
  
"Gee, Matt, you look different. Did you cut your hair or something?"   
  
  
  
  
  
"No, I just haven't been using as much gel. Where is everybody?"   
  
  
  
  
  
TK points down at a hole. "Some black thing pulled Sora down into that hole!"   
  
  
  
  
  
"Huh?"   
  
  
  
  
The blue haired boy runs up to the hole and looks down into it. "What? Is she alright?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, Matt. Does this remind you of anything?"   
  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah. It looks just like that cave we were trapped in before. The same black thing must have gotten Sora! Whatever you do, don't be afraid, okay guys? I've realized that it's your fear that feeds the darkness."   
  
  
  
  
"That's easy for you to say."   
  
  
  
  
  
They run forward, and see Biyomon trying to rouse Sora, who is huddled with her head on her knees, much like Matt had been not long ago.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Sora! What's the matter with you? Get up!" Matt tugs on her arms, but she doesn't budge. "She's stuck."   
  
  
  
  
The blue haired boy says, "Let me help."   
  
  
  
  
  
"On three. One, two, three!" The two boys pull with all their might, but it's as if Sora is a statue.   
  
  
  
  
Sora was mumbling to herself, "I have to find Mimi, and Joe and Matt. I have to help Tai or the world will be destroyed! There's no place like home. There's no place like home."   
  
  
  
  
A pink bird says, "She won't talk to me anymore. All she does is keep mumbling the same thing over and over again!"   
  
  
  
  
  
"Sora, Matt and I are right here. Look at me, focus!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sora looks up, "Joe, you're really here. I can't believe it. And Matt's with you, too."   
  
  
  
  
"Just relax. Everything's gonna be okay now."   
  
  
  
  
"I'm afraid not. I haven't be trying hard enough. I have to get to Tai right away and help him fight, because if I don't, the world will be completely destroyed."   
  
  
  
"Sora, come on! You can't be responsible for saving the world!"   
  
  
  
  
"Joe is right," Matt said, "You have to realize how strong your negative feelings are. They produce a powerful destructive energy. Sora, it's the darkness in your heart that has created the cave in the first place! Don't you get it?"   
  
  
  
"Really, Matt? Is that true? Is that why you told TK not to be scared?"   
  
  
  
  
Matt looked at Sora with pleading in his eyes, "Sora, listen to me. There's only one way to make this cave disappear. You've got to reach deep into your heart and erase all the negative feelings."   
  
  
  
  
Inside Sora's mind, she is curled up in the middle of an expanse of darkness, alone. "I don't know if I can. What should I do?"   
  
  
  
  
"You'll have to find the answer to that question on your own." Matt appears in the darkness, surrounded in a circle of light, reaching out to her. "Sora, this isn't the kind of thing you do just because you have to. If you're going to do it, then it has to be because you want to."   
  
  
  
  
"You mean that I don't have to do it if I don't want to?"   
  
  
  
  
  
"Right. It'll only work if you want to do it."   
  
  
  
  
"I'm confused. How will I know what the right thing to do is?"  
  
  
  
  
Joe answered, "When this whole thing started, do you think we had any idea what the right thing to do was? Of course not. But that didn't stop us, did it? Maybe we're here for a reason. Maybe we're the only ones who can do it!"   
  
  
  
  
Inside Sora's mind, Matt and Joe come towards her in circles of light. "We're the only ones who can make a difference."   
  
  
  
  
"It's working, Matt. I think we're finally getting through to her!"   
  
  
  
  
  
"We're the only ones. That's why we're here!" Matt and Joe pull Sora into the light, and she awakens from her daze. "I get it now! You were right, Matt. How did you know?"   
  
  
  
  
"I kinda went through the same thing myself."   
  
  
  
  
"Welcome back!" Tk says as he hugs Sora.   
  
  
  
  
  
Sora nods, smiling, and Biyomon rushes up to her. "Sora!"   
  
  
  
  
"Biyomon!"   
  
  
  
  
"I'm so happy that you're the old Sora and not the new Sora!" The cave disappears, and the group find themselves in a clearing in a forest. They gasp.   
  
  
  
  
Joe yelled, "The cave's gone."   
  
  
  
  
"When the darkness from Sora's heart disappeared, so did the cave." Matt said   
  
  
  
  
"I feel so relieved." Sora exclaimed   
  
  
  
  
"Boy, wait till Tai hears about this!" Tk said, not noticing that Matt winced at his comment for more than one reason.   
  
  
  
  
"Let's find him." Joe said   
  
  
  
  
Matt smiled, "Tai's waiting for us right now. Let's go!"   
  
  
  
  
******************************  
  
  
  
  
"So he saved Sora, and himself. He went back to help Tai out afterall?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well Tai was fighting an evil master by the name of Piedmon. He wasn't doing so well. He felt like he had to help everyone and he felt like he had failed Matt. He needed Matt."  
  
  
  
  
**************************************  
  
  
  
  
We hear Matt yelling, "Tai! Where are you?"   
  
  
  
  
Tai opens his eyes when he faintly hears the voice. Over a distant rise, he can see Garurumon galloping toward him. Birdramon skims through the sky as well.   
  
  
  
  
"Matt!"   
  
  
  
  
"Hold on, buddy. We're coming!"   
  
  
  
  
Sora yells, "Tai, it's us! We're almost there!"  
  
  
  
A large figure by the name of Piedmon is standing near Tai. He is the one responsible for Tai's condition. "Once upon a time, they were digidestined. Now they're just sitting ducks waiting for me to take target practice."   
  
  
  
  
Matt runs up to his friend and holds him up in his arms. "Tai!"   
  
  
  
  
  
"Matt. You made it. I can't believe you're here."   
  
  
  
  
"Yeah, I made it, Tai. Hang in there, buddy."   
  
  
  
  
"I never doubted you for a second, Matt. I know it didn't always seem that way...."   
  
  
  
  
Tears form in Matt's eyes. "Thank you, Tai. For believing in me. I'm just sorry I was so late. Tai, you have to know how much our friendship has always meant to me. And I swear nothing will ever come between us again!"   
  
  
  
  
Matt's crest glows brightly. Garurumon walks up to WarGreymon and touches him with his snout. In a flash of light, WarGreymon is fully healed and as strong as ever. Piedmon looks vaguely annoyed.   
  
  
  
  
Garurumon yells, "Matt, your crest of friendship gave me strength and brought WarGreymon back to normal."   
  
  
  
  
  
**************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So Matt saved everyone and they defeated that evil man, right?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, they had some problems. Piedmon changed them into keychains, and they all ran. Sora was one of the last one captured, trying to save Tk and Kari. But she managed to get Matt's keychain away from Piedmon. She gave it to Tk, and he had it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***********************************************  
  
  
  
  
TK takes the keychain Sora had tossed to him - it was Matt - and holds it in his hand.   
  
  
  
  
"Matt! What would he say?"   
  
  
  
We hear Matt's voice, "TK, don't ever give up!"   
  
  
  
"Matt?"   
  
  
  
  
"You can do it, T.K. I have faith in you! But it won't help if you don't have faith in yourself. No matter what happens, you have to fight to the very end! "  
  
  
  
  
"I promise you, Matt, I'll never give up the fight! If I don't do it, then this world and our world will be destroyed. I have to do it for Matt, for Angemon, for everybody!"   
  
  
  
  
T.K.'s crest glows, and Angemon struggles to his feet.   
  
  
  
  
"T.K.! Angemon digivolve to.... MagnaAngemon." MagnaAngemon flies into the air and catches Kari and T.K. easily.   
  
  
  
  
"Angemon, I knew you could digivolve!" MagnaAngemon deposits the children safely on the ground.   
  
  
  
  
"I am MagnaAngemon. I have eight shining wings and a beam shield. I wield the mighty sword Excaliber, and my devastating attack is the Gate Of Destiny."   
  
  
  
  
"Chew on this!" Piedmon throws a handkerchief at MagnaAngemon, who slices it in half with his sword.   
  
  
  
  
" I'm not hungry." Another swipe takes the keychains off of Piedmon's belt. "I guess my sword trumps yours." Piedmon falls, screaming, down to the ground below. The keychains are lined up in front of MagnaAngemon. "Now, to bring our friends back to normal. Magna Antidote." Rainbow light shines from his wings and engulfs the keychains. All the kids and their digimon appear again, full-size.   
  
  
  
  
Tai says, "Wow, what a weird dream. I had an incredible urge to carry some keys... Kari!"   
  
  
  
  
Matt yells, "T.K.!" The two older brothers hug their younger siblings, happy to see them safe. "You did a great job, T.K."   
  
  
  
  
Tk says, "If it wasn't for your advice, I don't think I would have been able to do it!"   
  
  
  
  
Matt says, "Huh?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
**************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So those words of so long ago helped convince Tk to have Hope and it saved them all?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Exactly."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well what happened with the girl? What happened after that?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, they banded together and defeated more dark masters, and then they got to go home to their world."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Is that the end of the story?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No, not quite."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well then what happened?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"A new evil digimon came and attacked the Internet. Yamato and his friend Tai had to make their digimon one so that they could defeat them. This new evil was threatening the world with missiles. He had the capacity to bomb everyone. So they had no choice but to fight him."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So his friendship once again helped them defeat someone?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon have stopped moving. They're lying totally still. The Diaboromon have stopped firing as well.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
We see Tai at a computer screen, "Wargreymon…" Tai hears Kari's whistle in his head, from long ago. He leans closer to the screen. "Wargreymon…I've got to help…there must be a way…somehow…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Tai's Mom looks in on them. "More juice, Izzy? I just squeezed some onions!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No thanks. I'm rerouting incoming data from the remote server into local memory."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oops. I'll just leave you two alone…Wait a minute, where did Tai go?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He's disappeared. No one is sure how, but Tai's bond with Wargreymon was so strong, Tai himself became digital. Tai is floating down to Wargreymon. Matt's there too.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wargreymon…I'm here."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Metalgarurumon…wake up, don't quit now! Why won't he answer me, Tai?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Keep trying, Matt…." Then he thinks of something. "Listen, I don't have a whistle to wake you, but I want you to know, you're not alone, OK? And the mail keeps coming - it won't stop! Kids from all over the world are writing to you. They need your help. You're the only one who can do it. Feel their hope! Feel their strength!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Wargreymon coughs and shudders. "I…feel them…" The e-mail messages pop up all around Diaboromon's arena, covering the walls. Wargreymon's body condenses into light, and shoots into his helmet. So does Metalgarurumon. Parts of their armor reconfigure themselves. Energy from all the e-mails pour into them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
In a small shop we see Tk. A man walks up to him, "Huh? Where'd your brother go?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Tk is watching a computer screen, "They combined?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
We see Izzy again, "Part Wargreymon…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Tk says, "Part Metalgarurumon!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Izzy again, "They digivolved together to become…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Omnimon!" A knight-like digimon, Omnimon wears the helmets of Metalgarurumon and Wargreymon on his hands. The Diaboromon recommence firing. "Transcendence Sword!" He produces a shining sword, redirecting all the energy pulses. Many Diaboromon get destroyed. "Supreme Cannon!" He blasts an entire area of Diaboromon, wiping them out. He fires, again and again, until only one remains.  
  
  
  
  
  
Izzy yells, "Tai, there's the original! Hurry, we're running out of time!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Omnimon, quick! Attack! Where is he?" Diaboromon is very fast. He jumps around the arena. "One minute to go!"  
  
  
  
  
  
We see Joe, older, taking a test, "One minute to go!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Then we see Tai's mom, baking, "One minute to go!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
In the background, a fighter jet tries to intercept the nuke heading towards Tai's apartment. "Squad Leader to Command, we were unable to destroy the target! The missile will impact, I repeat, the missile will impact!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
We see Tai and Matt again on Omnimon. Tai yells out, "He keeps moving! Every time we get him in our sights, he jumps somewhere else! He's too fast for us!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Izzy looks at the screen, "We have the power to destroy him now, but we don't have the time! Willis was right - we have to find some way to slow down Diaboromon!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
TK is still in the shop, "Thirty seconds to go!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Back to Izzy, "The e-mails! If I forward him all the e-mails, it'll slow him down just like it did us! Keep sending them, kids! You've…got…mail!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Diaboromon slows down very much. Omnimon flies towards him, sword extended. "Ten seconds to go! Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Omnimon's sword connects with Diaboromon's head, slicing it in two and destroying the clock that he was holding. Diaboromon melts away. "Connection…terminated…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
******************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wow, what a rush. Matt sure is important to the world. These were just kids, weren't they?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, but very capable ones."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I can see that. They'd have to have nerves of steel for the things they've been through so far."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"It's not the end."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"It's not? Man, no wonder the poor guy has problems."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Four years passed, and they all grew older. Tai was still obsessed with soccer. And Sora was still waiting for him to call. Izzy's idea of a fun night was upgrading his computer, and Matt was trying to make it as a rock star! His stage name was "The digi-destined formerly known as Matt". Even though the older kids didn't have as much time for the digiworld, there were new digi-destined kids to pick up the slack. But mind you, they were still there to help the team out. They fought and fought and fought. They restored peace to the world, and helped save the Digital World as well."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, where are we with Matt now. What after all of that could even possibly rival something enough to get him in so much trouble that he needs me?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well that was just his childhood, Isaac. His high school and college years are something completely different."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I was afraid of that ......."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N - Well that is all for now. I hope that you liked it. If you did, then I promise to come out with the next chapter soon. This wont be a very long story, mind you, but probably another chapter or two. I promise that there will be more Sorato in the end, but I hope you liked it for now. I tried to add a little Sorato to it already. I know you know where I am going with this, so enjoy the ride. Oh, and in case I forget to tell you. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
With love,  
  
  
  
Sora 


	2. Everything Goes Wrong

"So that was just his childhood? I can't even begin to imagine what his adult years were like."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, he and the other digidestined were constantly pulled into the digital world to help save their world, many times over. He was extremely busy with his band and also trying to just be a teenager."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Were there any girls in his life?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes actually, there is one girl in particular."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
We see Sora and Biyomon waiting outside of a door. "Wow, this is so exciting. People are already lining up for Matt's concert."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't worry Sora. We'll be sure to get good seats. Especially once you give him these homemade cookies."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I hope."   
  
  
  
  
  
"Sora, wait up." We see Tai walking with Agumon towards Sora.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh Tai ... uh."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
He looked at her oddly and Agumon said, "Something smells good." But he was interrupted by Gabumon opening the door.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Matt's busy getting ready, but I'll take those to him."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Biyomon yelled, "I bet you will. NO WAY! You'll eat the whole thing yourself."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He replied, "Wait. I resent that. I'm on a diet."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Tai interrupted them, "So umm, Sora. Are you going to the concert with anybody? I mean not that it matters to me ... Just wondering." He said quickly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No, I want to be available in case Matt is free afterwards."  
  
  
  
  
  
Tai looked upset and said, "Oh, I see. Matt, huh? It's okay," he said.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Your not mad at me, Tai?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He replied, "No, of course not...Now get in there and say hi to Matt for me."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Thanks Tai."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
************************************************************************************************  
  
  
  
"So that girl from before had a crush on him?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, she did."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Did he like her back?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well let me show you the next scene from his life of importance."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
We see Sora and Matt walking through the park.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sora, thank you so much for those cookies." He smiled at her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As she was blushing she said, "Your welcome Matt. You're my friend ... I would do anything for you. I want your complete happiness. The same applies to Tai. By the way Matt Tai asked me out. What do you think I should do?"  
  
  
  
  
Matt's face went white. After awhile he looked at her and answered, "Well do you like Tai in that way?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She looked at him, "Well...."   
  
  
  
  
  
She was interrupted by her cell phone ringing... "Hello." She answered it. Matt could here a male voice on the other end, talking very loudly. "I'm at the park, with Matt."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt looked away so as not to be listening to the call when Sora said, "Matt, Tai wants to talk to both of us."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt and Sora put their heads together to listen to the phone call, "Guys, the government is asking us to be ambassadors to the digital world from Japan. We'll make a ton of money if it all works out right ... What do you think?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He was so excited, but Sora and Matt weren't paying attention to the phone call but were looking into each other's eyes. The cell phone dropped and Tai could be heard asking what was going on.   
  
  
  
  
  
Matt pulled her into his arms, "Sora ... you know how much you mean to me ... but I've never really told you what you REALLY mean to me. ..." He paused for a few minutes and then continued on, "I love you Sora, and I have loved you for years now. If you will let me then I'd like to be your boyfriend."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sora looked at him with tears in her eyes, "Yes Matt, I would let you be my boyfriend, I love you too." They pulled together and started kissing each other with a reckless abandon, not even listening to what was going on the phone. Needless to say, Sora didn't go out on a date with Tai.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
We see a flash and then suddenly we are at a candlelight dinner. Sora and Matt are a few years older and we see him take her hand in his and kiss it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sora all those years ago when I asked to be your boyfriend, I really meant to ask you something else, but I felt we were too young. But now that we are older I think it's time to ask."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He gets on a knee and bends before her. "Will you marry me?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She gets down on her knees in her nice dress and looks at him; "Did you ever doubt that I would?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
They kiss and the scene fades to their wedding day.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Walking down the aisle in a dress of white silk we see Sora, smiling as tears stream down her face. At the front of the church we see Matt, attended by TK, Tai, Izzy, and Joe. But his eyes are only on Sora as she walks down towards him, to become his.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
We see them recite their wedding vows and we can see the love that they hold for one another.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Again we are transported, but this time we see Matt in a hospital waiting room, pacing the room. The digidestined are all they're, waiting patiently, but we don't see Sora. Finally a nurse enters the room and we see her say something to Matt and Matt runs out of the room, with the others soon behind him.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt runs into a hospital room and we see Sora with a baby in her arms. She smiles at Matt and he runs and kisses her. She hands him his son and he smiles.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The transportation begins anew and we are taken to the hospital once again. Matt is in the delivery room this time and we see him cut the umbilical cord to his new daughter. He kisses Sora again and holds their daughter out to her.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
We see their toddler son being brought to the room and Matt taking his son in his arms to show him his new baby sister.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So he got the girl! That's great! They make a fine couple now don't they?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, they are a match made in heaven ... in a manner of speaking."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So his teenage years did pan out well. Did he become a rockstar? What happened next?"  
  
  
  
  
*******************************************************************************  
  
  
  
The scene fades into Matt in a jumpsuit floating around a spaceship. Along side him is Gabumon. They are chatting as they float around and we see Matt float to another part and sigh.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I miss her Gabu ... I miss her and the kids terribly. I don't know how I make it through the days."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well I miss Biyomon and our kids, but I know that I'll see them again."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm sure that Biyomon is doing great. Sora is there to take care of them after all."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I heard that T.K. and Kari were going to be married soon."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah, T.K. wants to wait until we get back from Mars. It's only three more months, and compared to the last three and a half years, this is nothing."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes I know."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I can't believe how long it's been. But the money is good. I think, though, that I want to retire after this - as long as I get that government pension that they are supposed to give me."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, I'm sure they will."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm relying on it, otherwise the kids won't have a future, Gabu ...."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well Sora has her designing job with Biyomon. It will help you out."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes, but we bought that house, and we have to pay the payments. I just hope everything is okay when I return."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I have faith in Sora, that she kept it going. After all she had Tai and all of them to help her out."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You don't mistrust Sora do you?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"No ... I just don't trust Tai all that well. He is my best friend after all."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't worry Matt, after all of this, Sora will just be glad to have you home, not about all of the material things that you promised."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah I guess your right."  
  
  
  
  
*****************************************************************  
  
  
  
"He became an ASTRONAUT? Where did that come from? And Sora became a designer? That seems a little off base from their personalities."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well wonders never cease, Isaac. You should know that by now."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So he was gone for four years, away from Sora and their kids? I bet their reunion was a big hit."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well the reunion is what brings us to today. The day that everything changed for Matt. The reason that he...."  
  
  
  
  
  
**************************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt sighed as he and Gabumon were let out of the depressurizing chambers of NASA headquarters. He knew that in a few minutes he would get to see his now eight-year-old son and six-year-old daughter. He had missed them terribly, but they weren't allowed to come to the headquarters, so he had to be taken home   
to them so that he could finally see them.   
  
  
The doctors had wanted him to stay at the center for another day, but it was Christmas Eve, and he wanted to spend it with his family. They had to understand that. They kept going on and on about how things were going to be different, but he just ignored them. They gave Gabumon a talk about how he needed to watch Matt because of depression. But Matt was out the door before they could warn him a fourth time.  
  
  
  
He rushed to the car out front and he and Gabumon got in the car as they were driven home. They had gotten home just in time for Christmas, and he had been so thankful for that. He got lost in his thoughts as he looked out the window.... He looked at the green grass on the earth and it almost hurt his eyes due to the   
color. He remembered the vibrant colors of so many things over the last four years, but nothing compared to actually getting to see it.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Green - He had remembered the foliage of the digital world ... the vast green of the jungles that were there.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Blue - The sky had always been a rich blue during the afternoons when he and Sora had laid on the ground and looked up at the clouds at night.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
But the most important color that he had kept in his memory in the darkness of space was red. Red was the color of her hair, the color of her eyes. The color that their children both held in either their hair or eyes. He loved that color so much, and he missed her so. It had been four years since he had seen her, held her ...   
  
  
  
  
  
  
The fifteen-minute car ride could not be over soon enough...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Finally they pulled into the driveway of the house that seemed so familiar, yet so distant to him. He jumped out of the car when the front door opened to reveal Sora. She was running out the door and in an instant he was running to her.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
When he caught her in his arms he spun her around and kissed her. The feeling of her in his arms almost made him leap with joy again as he kissed her harder. She was kissing him just as hard back and it was a long time before either of them realized that they had an audience.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
On the front porch stood their children, with Tai holding both of them. One was at his leg, hugging it hard as they looked at the stranger, and the other one was in Tai's arms.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sora looked at Matt and then looked back at the children, "They are happy to see you home, it will just take awhile to get re-accustomed to you, darling."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He looked at her with doubt in his eyes, "They don't know me, Sora. It's not like with you."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Then get to know them Matt. They think of Tai like a second father, but you'll have to spend enough time with them so that they can get to know you better."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt sighed as Sora took his hand and led him up to the porch. She took the child in Tai's arms from him and their son went to her as Tai smiled at Matt.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Matt, it's so good to have you home. I know that I am personally tired of hearing Sora complain that you aren't home. She hasn't been the same without you."  
  
  
  
  
  
Sora blushed as she turned to Matt and said, "This is your daddy. Why don't you give him a hug."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The children just looked at him and then the four-year-old in Sora's arms started crying. Sora looked at her daughter and then went straight to Matt. She held out their daughter for him to hold and he took her into his arms. She did not want to be held. She kept kicking and screaming for awhile, and yet Sora just let him hold her.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt did not know what to do. Sora let him handle their daughter and she led them all inside the house. His son just kept staring at him and Matt could do nothing but stare back at him. He didn't know how to handle the screaming child. Sora finally took the child and went to comfort them as Tai took a heartbroken Matt aside. "Don't worry buddy. It'll get better. She did that with me at first too." And with that Tai left the house.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sora mouthed at him ... "Its okay. Everything will be okay."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
But Matt wasn't so sure...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Later that afternoon, Matt was still baffled by all that had changed since he had been gone. There were so many new technologies that had come about for the home. His home had changed as well, and he was just upset by it all.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Tai seemed to know his family much better than he did, and it really upset him that Sora and Tai had a sort of communication with Tai that he, himself, should have held with Sora.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Finally, later that night as they were preparing for a Welcome Home/Christmas part, he snapped.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Their son was playing the piano non-stop. He kept banging and banging on it as Sora hung decorations on the Christmas tree. He loved watching her move, so graceful and loving. It was as if each decoration hung on the tree was full of love for everyone she knew that would view it.   
  
  
  
  
  
She had handed the four-year-old back to Matt before she had started on the tree and she immediately began to scream. Sora seemed oblivious but the screaming seemed to grate on his nerves. Gabumon and Biyomon seemed oblivious also as they watched their kids snuggle up to Matt and Sora's kids.   
  
  
  
  
Matt was not used to the screaming and it was really beginning to grate on his nerves. "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" followed by the "PLUNK, PLUNK, PLUNK, PLUNK" of the piano seemed to continue on and on and on, and the images of Sora and Tai holding his kids and everyone being happy finally made Matt snap.  
  
  
  
"STOP IT!!!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sora looked at him and then at Gabumon, "Honey, what's the matter?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"This.... This is what is the matter." He pointed around at the room. "I don't know where I am or what I am doing here. I don't know my own kids, and yet Tai does. He knows all about you, and the way our house is ... and everything. Why is it like this?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sora looked at him in the eyes the way she had always done and said, "You did this. You wanted to go away for four years and yet I supported you, just like I have supported you in everything that you have done. But I knew it was going to be like this. Tai has been here for us, yes, but he hasn't replaced you in our hearts. I have ached everyday for you, the need to have you here has been unbearable. I know things are hard now, but it is going to take time ... you can handle it. You're a man now, Matt. You'll have to get over it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm not the one who has changed, it's you Sora! Why did you let this happen?" He ran his fingers through his hair and looked at her and the kids. Then he got a mad look on his face and stormed out the door.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sora tried to go after him, but he had the car and was gone before she knew it. Gabumon came over and put one of his arms around her as she cried. "The doctors said that he might go through a depression of some sorts, its just hit harder now."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Gabumon, I have to go after him." She threw on her coat and then went out the door.  
  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt drove and drove until he got to what looked like a bar. He walked in and sat down at the counter and yelled out to the bar tender that was turned around. When the bar tender turned he saw it was a familiar face...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Davis! You own this joint? It's a far cry from a noodle cart." He smiled at Davis, the former digidestined.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"MATT! Yeah it is. Good to see you. But aren't we having a party tonight for your return? Why aren't you home? Did Sora send you out to get you out of the way?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt frowned, "No, give me your best whiskey!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are you sure you should be drinking tonight? Sora might get mad."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Who cares what Sora thinks, I'm the man in the family, not her, and certainly not Tai!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Davis frowned, "What is all of this about Tai? You know nothing has gone on between them ... that's what it is ... isn't it? You think they've been having an affair don't you? Well, let me tell you.... "  
  
  
  
  
  
"I don't want to hear about it, Davis. Either give me my whiskey or I'm leaving."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm not going to give it to you Matt, because you don't need any. It won't help you all that much. Go home to Sora and talk it out, then we'll all be there later."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt got up and stormed out of the room ... He was infuriated by the fact that Davis said anything about Tai and Sora. Those two names did not belong together anymore ... that had been a long time ago. Now it was just Matt and Sora, her last name was Ishida. She belonged with him ... or did she?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He was behind the wheel of his car, driving to no one knows where when he wasn't paying attention and ran off of the road. He looked up from the steering wheel and saw only white. A thin stream of red flowed down his forehead, but he ignored it. He got out of the car. He kicked the tire and started walking.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Maybe she doesn't love me anymore ... Maybe I'm not good enough ... The kids love him, and not me ... Maybe It's better off if I'm not here at all...."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It was then that he came to it, a bridge covered with snow. It had begun snowing again and he wasn't paying attention again as he came up on it. Looking at it he frowned and walked to the side. He looked down and saw an icy river below. He looked up at the blackness again and sighed.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes ... it's better if I'm not here at all.... She'd be happier.... They'd all be happier...."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He looked down again and out of the blue a man jumped down into the river. Not thinking about himself, Matt stripped off his coat and jumped in after the man to save him. Ignoring the icy waters and the sharpness of the cold, Matt pulled the man to safety and out of the water.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
He caught his breath and pulled the man up to the toll bridge nearby. The toll bridge operator let them and they began to dry their clothes.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What were you thinking there! You could have been killed." Matt said to the man  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I was trying to save you." The man said to Matt  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"SAVE ME! You are insane!"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No I'm not, I'm an angel ... second class.... The name's Isaac."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt just looked at him and tollbooth operator looked at them both and walked out the door shaking his head, mumbling something about homeless crazy folk.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ummm ... right ... What's this all about saving me?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You were going to jump to try and make things better for your wife."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What do you know about my wife?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I know a lot about you, Matt."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well then you know that everyone would be a lot better off without me then."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Isaac looked at Matt and then got a gleam in his eyes, "That's it! That's what is going to convince you..." Isaac looked up at the ceiling and said, "Okay, you've never been born." 


	3. Your True Worth

HEY EVERYONE! I know this will seem rushed, but I wanted to finish it on Christmas so it was out there. I hope you all have a good one! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 3  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Isaac looked at Matt and then got a gleam in his eyes, "That's it! That's what is going to convince you..." Isaac looked up at the ceiling and said, "Okay, you've never been born."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A bell rang in the alarm for the clock as it struck midnight and Isaac said, "Someone just got his wings, I hope this works and I get mine. You see, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt looked at Isaac, "Ha Ha, very funny. You know your one crazy guy." He walked over to where his clothes were drying on a line in the toll booth, and frowned.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No, you don't seem to understand," Isaac said, "You've never been born."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Riiight." Matt noticed that his clothes were dried, "Hey my clothes are dry. That's funny." Then he noticed that his forehead was no longer bleeding.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Isaac was looking at him, "Don't you see, Matt, none of that happened. You were never born."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt stared at Isaac as he got dressed. He saw Isaac getting dressed as well. "I think that there is a homeless shelter near my house, or at least there used to be. Let's go there. My car is around the corner." Matt put on his coat and led the man out the door.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
They walked for awhile, and they got to where Matt had originally crashed his car, but he found that it wasn't there. "WHERE IS MY CAR?" Matt yelled.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He kept walking and Isaac walked behind him as they came into Odaibu, where Matt lived. But instead of a town there was a large factory. "Where is the town? What is going on here?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Everything was dark and cold, and where Matt remembered there being a small district and his home, he saw only bleakness. "I don't understand. What is going on?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You never existed. Don't you see? Things are different without you."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Your the crazy one here, not me."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
They walked for awhile, and Matt looked for anything familiar. He thought that since he had been away for two years that maybe things had changed, but he still didn't think that they had changed this much. Everything looked like it had been destroyed for ten years, if not more.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Finally they came to where Matt thought his house was. But what they found was devastating. It was a grave yard. On the other end of the grave yard was a light, and Matt slowly stumbled towards it.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
He was so overcome with grief that he didn't see the gravestones that he stumbled over. He looked up from his spot on the ground and looked straight into a gravestone. It read, "Takeru Takashi 1991-1999". Matt just gasped at the gravestone. "Isaac! What is this? Where is Tk?"   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"He died, Matt, because you weren't there to save him from the dark masters!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"But I was there, and we all bonded together to defeat them all."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No," Isaac said slowly and motioned towards some other grave sites. "You didn't"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Around them were gravestones for Mimi, Kari, Izzy, and Tai.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"NO! This isn't real! They live!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Matt, you weren't there for Tai when he needed help to defeat Piedmon. He didn't have his best friend to help him and he didn't make it. Izzy and Kari were killed right after Tai and when Mimi showed up to help, she was slaughtered."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What about Tk?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Tk was the first to go. He was killed the first week. He didn't have you to protect him, or give him hope."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Where is Joe? And Davis, Yolie, Ken, and Cody?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well, they are alive. Joe is still working in that shop because you weren't there to help bail him out. He never realized his reliability because you weren't there."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"And the others?" Matt was completely panicking by now.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"They are with the other humans."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Show me." They were immediately transported to a place that looked like a prison camp. What Matt saw there brought tears to his eyes. All the humans were in chains, working as slaves for the dark masters. The dark masters had completely taken over everything and the humans were dying right and left.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
He fell to the ground in tears, whispering, "No ... this can't have happened. We saved the world ... Tai, Tk, Kari, Joe, Mimi, Izzy, and ...." He looked up at Isaac " Where is Sora? Where is my wife?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Isaac looked at the ground, "You don't want to see her."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt got up and took Isaac by the collar, "WHERE IS MY WIFE!!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Isaac shrunk back from Matt, "Okay, I'll take you to her."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
They were suddenly transported to a dark place, and there sat Sora, still in her blue jeans and yellow shirt. She sat in the same position that she had been in all those years ago. She was older, but still sat there, hunkered over.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt ran to her and put his arms around her, "Sora, your alive."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"There is no use in living. Everything has gone wrong. We were failures and Tai is dead. It was all my fault. I am a failure, and this darkness won't let me die."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt shook her and she looked up at him with those eyes that held the darkness, and yet it was so much more. "Sora, you don't need to die."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I wish it would all just end, I hate this. Why can't I just join the others? Why did Tai send me to find Joe? Why were we chosen? I want to die!" Then Sora let out a harsh scream of pain and agony that ripped into Matt's heart. He looked at her and started running. He couldn't face it anymore.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
He ran and ran and ran, crying all the while and finally reached the bridge again. "I WANT TO LIVE, Isaac! I want to live!!!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It suddenly got very cold again and Matt had his head down on the bridge. A car suddenly pulled up and the door opened. Matt looked up to see a figure that looked familiar.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Matt!!! Is that you? We've been looking all over for you."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
The figure looked very familiar. "Tai? TAI!!!! YOUR ALIVE!!!!" Matt hugged Tai hard and looked at him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Tai looked back at Matt and frowned, "Matt, you really have lost it. Of course I am alive, buddy. And you have a very worried wife and kids waiting for you at home."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"SORA!!! I have to get home!" And he took off running. He got to the district and saw that it was covered in Christmas lights and bustling with people. He smiled and kept running, yelling, "MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He ran and ran and ran and finally got to where his house was. The lights were on and he ran inside. "Sora?" He ran up the stairs and looked everywhere. Where was Sora?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Daddy is that you?" His son looked at him and Matt smiled and hugged him. His little girl ran up to him and hugged him too. He was on the stairs hugging his children when Sora walked in the door.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"MATT!!!!" She ran up the stairs and kissed him full on the lips. "I've been looking for you everywhere!" She kept kissing him and he kept kissing her back.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I love you Sora!!! I am so sorry!! Please forgive me!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Of course, but I have a suprise for you. Come down here by the Christmas tree!" She drug him with the two kids down to the Christmas tree and smiled.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
All of a sudden Izzy, Kari, Mimi, Tk, Davis, Cody, Yolie, Ken, Tai, Joe all came running in, and hugged Matt. It was all of his friends. In came his parents and Sora's mom and dad. Then all their parents came in. The house was packed with people wanting to see Matt.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt just smiled and watched everyone who loved him congregate around him.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Suddenly a bell rang on the Christmas tree. "Daddy, teachers says - 'Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.'" His son told him.  
  
  
  
  
  
Matt grinned as he tightened his grip around his wife and stared at those who cared about him, "That's right son, that's right. Way to go Clarence." And Matt Ishida, who's importance to the world was immeasurable, realized he was truly blessed with friends.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
THE END  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N - MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! 


End file.
